Electrical connectors, or terminals for terminating a power cable connection, are often connected side-by-side to grounding studs, to power strips or on top of each other, such as on a terminal block or on a power strip. They provide power to circuitry and electronics of a system, vehicle, or device, and thus, are often coupled in a tight configuration to address space constraints, such as in an aircraft. The phrases lug, terminal lug, and terminal will be used interchangeably in this application to refer to such terminal connectors.
While wire and cables that are terminated with such terminal are insulated along their length, the terminals themselves are exposed for making electrical contact with other terminals, terminal blocks, or equipment connection points. As a result, arcing can occur between adjacent terminals. Electrocution is also a possibility with such exposure.
The problem with shorting or arcing has become a particular problem within the aerospace industry. Most new airframes are being designed to eliminate hydraulic systems and to replace those systems with electro-mechanical actuators. Also, recent advancements have led to the use of higher electrical voltages and frequencies in an aircraft. Greater us of electrical systems and the respective higher voltages and frequencies directly impact the likelihood of accidental shorting and arc tracking at the terminal connection points. Accidental shorting or arcing between the different voltage phases that are used in such systems can cause damage, and may potentially shut the power down for a system. Furthermore, space constraints exacerbate the issue as the terminals are often positioned close to one another at a terminal block or at equipment connection points. Still further, passenger comfort has led to greater humidity in the environment of the electrical systems.
Contaminants between the terminals may also cause arcing issues. Various dry, liquid, or vapor contaminants have the potential to create an electrical path between terminals under dry, humid, or wet conditions. If the various contaminants can create a low enough current resistance paths between the terminals, then arc tracking may start and progress to the point of significant damage.
There have been various existing methods to try to isolate the terminals in order to prevent arcing. However, such methods often involve mechanical dividers or require increasing separation distances, which may not always be feasible. However, such existing methods have been optimized, and, even with current precautions, the existing elements and methods may still allow the conductive surfaces of the terminal to get close enough to each other to allow arc tracking. The various physical dividers are not sufficient to prevent the arc tracking.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the invention to address arcing concerns between adjacent electrical terminals. It is further the objective to prevent arcing while not compromising the terminal's function. The present invention addresses these objectives and various drawbacks in the prior art.